Legend and Paramount Blu Rays (1 Viewer)

[John Morgan]

With CRACK IN THE WORLD coming, and May 3 for two double bills

THE SKULL/THE MAN WHO CAN CHEAT DEATH

and

HOUDINI/THOSE DARING YOUNG MEN IN THEIR JAUNTY JALOPIES

and at a great price, it seems catalog Paramount titles are coming fast and furious due to licensing.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Originally Posted by John Morgan


With CRACK IN THE WORLD coming, and May 3 for two double bills

THE SKULL/THE MAN WHO CAN CHEAT DEATH

and

HOUDINI/THOSE DARING YOUNG MEN IN THEIR JAUNTY JALOPIES

and at a great price, it seems catalog Paramount titles are coming fast and furious due to licensing.

With these and all those $5 Miramax Target offerings, it seems we're starting to finally see the studios open the floodgates for cheapy bluray offerings. All those catalog titles are going to start racing to the finish line on blu, and the quality is always going to be hit-or-miss, IMO. It'll be great to have HD versions of all these films, but I have a funny feeling that the studios are going to heavily scrutinize the product in terms of proper digital restoration. If the available film materials are very good, then the blurays will look good. But if they simply happen to have an okay 1080p version lying around (maybe one that's been used for television) the films may not look so good. I guess we're always going to have to wait and see and judge each film individually for its actual bluray potential. Most of these kinds of films probably got a passing grade on dvd, but this is bluray--and entirely different animal. My hope is that they'll all still get a passing grade, because there's literally hundreds of catalog titles that I'd love to have.

 

[Paul_Scott]

would prefer to pay $10 retail for a single title disc rather than $15 retail for a two disc title when I only want one of them.

I understand why Legend is doing it, but as much as it may be an incentive for some other hypothetical customer, it's a dis-incentive to me. I would probably pick up Houdini for $10 without batting an eye since I never bought the DVD- but $15 falls outside my impulse purchase zone...and I just don't want or need TDYMITJJ.


I recently picked up a three pack DVD of The Skull, TMWCCD, and the Deadly Bees- and haven't watched any of them yet so I will most likely pass on that (didn't care much for the Skull when I finally saw it anyway).


I think the only title Legend Licensed that I would look forward to getting on Bd is probably Phase IV. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pair that with The Deadly Bees when they do.


I'm more looking forward to the stronger slate from Olive. I just sold off my CITW DVD in anticipation of the Bd, and will have to sell off Hannie Caulder now too. I hope they kick out the Carrol Baker movies soon too- especially since I've put off picking up the DVDs.

 

[Cinescott]

I kind of thought this might happen after George Lucas green lighted Star Wars for blu ray. We're probably reaching a critical market mass, where even more "obscure" titles can have decent sales numbers.

Agreed that the quality will likely be very hit or miss. Restorations and hi def upgrades are expensive and lower selling titles will not likely see much effort put into their clean ups, if any.

 

[Nelson Au]

I was surprised to see HOUDINI and THOSE DARING YOUNG MEN IN THEIR JAUNTY JALOPIES on Amazon the other day. Didn't know this came out. I actually like the Houdini bio-pic. Whether its accurate or not, i remember it was enjoyable!

 

[benbess]

I like Houdini too, but the pq sounds like it's only so so. I think I'll hold off and rent it at some point. Maybe I'm too picky, but I tend to only add things to my library if the pq is pretty impressive...

 

[Professor Echo]

Speaking of HOUDINI, I just got back from an amazing exhibit about him at the Skirball Cultural Center in west. L.A.! I urge anyone in the SoCal area to check out this fantastic show!


http://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/houdini